Trolley wheel



TROLLEY WHEEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

FILED MAY l2, i922.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY A .6 Yam H005; @2022K WITNESS:

Feb. 6, 1923.,

A. C. VAN HOOYDONK.

TROLLEY WHEEL.

FILED MAY IZ, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR ix v MIL/m5., l

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. f5, i923.

i wir 1Q,

.ADRIAN C.,VA1\T HOOYDONK, OF MONROE, MICHIGAN.

TROLLEY WHEEL.

Application led May 12, 1922. Serial No. 560,349.

T0 JZ whom. it may concern.

Be it known that l, ADRIAN C. VANv l-loo'fnonii, a subject of the Queen oi Hol-- land, residing at Monroe, in the county of Monroe and State or' Michigan, have invented new and useful lmprovements in Trolley W heels, of which the following is a specilication. j

rlChis invention rel-ates to improvements in trolley wheels.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a trolley wheel which will maintain a perfect and relatively large contact surface in engagement with the trolley wire at all times and under various conditions and thus eliminate objectionable sparking and consequent burning and damage to the wire, as well as to provide a contact surface which will-act as a conductor to sup-y ply sufficient power for hauling heavy trains.

Another object of the invention is the provision or a trolley wheel which will accurately follow and adapt itself to twists or bends in the wire, unevenness of the road bed, or variations in the height of the wire, maintaining proper contact under adverse conditions and in a manner to reduce triction and wear;

Another object of the invention is the provision of novel means'for supplying lubrioant to the trolley wheel, so that the latter will rotate freely and further reduce wear.

A further object of the inventionv is the provision of means Jlor mounting the wheel y or wheels so that the latter may be easily and quickly removed or replaced.

Vith the above and other objects in view,

the invention further includes the following novel features and details of construction,

tobe hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a trolley wheel embodying the invention.

Figure2 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is an edge view.

Figure 4 is a vertical .central sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a similar view taken on the line. 5 5 of Figure l.

Figure 6 is a detail elevation showing the manner of securing the retaining cap in place.

vReferring in detail tov the drawings, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts, the reference character y 10 indicates a harp, which is adapted to be 60 secured to the outer end of a trolley pole in the usual or any preferred manner and which includes spaced parallel arms 11.v Mounted between these arms is a cage or carrier 12, the body portion of the latter 65 being preferably formed of a casting which includes a hub 13 and a weight 14 which is disposed below the hub and acts to maintain the carrier in proper operative position. The hub 13 is provided with an open- 70 ing 14 whose walls are transversely concaved as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings and this opening is adapted t0 receive a spherical bearing member or ball 15. rlhis ball is held in place by means of a retaining ring 16 which is removably secured to the hub 13 by bolts or similar fastening devices and whose inner periphery is also transl versely concaved and providestogether with the walls of the opening 14,- a transversely arcuate-shapedv opening or socket within which the ball 15 is operatively retained. Extending through the ball 15 is a pin 1"?, whose opposite ends yalso extend through openings in the outer ends of the arms-11. 8,5.

Cotterl pins or similar devices 18 p-ass through openings in the opposite ends ofthe pinsyl?, one end oi this cotter pin being located within a socket or recess l19 provided in the opposite faces of the armsv 11,

so that relative movement of the pin 17 and arms 11 is prevented. Relative movement between the pin 17 and ball 15 is also prevented by tends within entersa slot provided in the pin 17. Located upon the oppositesides of the cage or oarrier y12 are spaced stops 21 and 22, which act to limit the relativerotary movement of the harp and cage or carrier12,` as shown by the dotted lines in kFigure 1 Extending upwardly from the hub 13 andV weight 14, are spaced parallel plates 23 which are laterally and loutwardly offset at their upperends and which are connectved by 'transversely arranged webs 24.

Mounted between these plates are grooved trolley receivingfwheels 25, .which are held in place by bearingl pins-26, the latter eX- tending through openings27;, and28v vided inthe spaced plates 23,' Exten 111g longitudinally along the apperie ge of. vone means of a key 20, which eX- the opening of the `ball 15 and 95I of the plates 23 is a hollow boss 29 which provides a lubricant chamber 30, the latter being adapted to contain a suitable lubricant to be iced to the pins 26. An opening is provided in the top ot the chamber 30. whereby the lubricant may be inserted, a removable plug 1 nornally closing this opening.

The pins 26 are provided` with an arde bore which receives a wiclr E2,` one end oit which extends within the chamber 30, so that the lubricant therein will saturate and travel throughout the length of the wich andwill pass into the bearing opening 33 of the wheels 25 through transverse openings 34. rlhe wheels 25 are provided with an annular' lubricant groove35. rlhe pins 26 have one oi their ends tapered so as to tit within the openings 287 whose walls are also tapered and when the pins are forced within the openings 28, a leak prooia joint will be provided. The opposite ends ot the pins 26 are provided with heads 36 and these heads are provided with notches 37 tor the reception of' pins or studs 38 extending from the adjacent iace ot one oi the plates 23, so that the pins 26 will be held against turning. Positioned over the heads of the pins 26 is an elongated cap 39 which carries threaded screws or plugs 40. @ne oi these screws orplugs is provided tor each of the pins 26 and their inner ends bear against the heads 36, so that by adjusting the screws or plugs 40, the pins may be forced into the openings 28 and held therein against accidental displacement- The cap 39 is secured to the plate 23 by means out a centrally arranged bolt or screw l1 and in order to prevent pivotal movement ot this cap, the said plate is provided with spaced lugs l2 against which the lower edge of the plate engages.

ln order to insure properl electrical connection between the wheels 25 and the cap or carrier l29 there are provided upon opposite sides of each of the wheels, conductor strips a3 which extend through openings fl provided in the plates 23 and whose outer ends are provided with openings for the passage ot the pins 26. rlhe inner ends oit these strips are riveted or otherwise secured as indicated at e5, between spaced lugs 116 extending from the plates 23. lt desired, similar conductor strip may be provided for connecting the bearing pin 15 with the opposite arms 11 of the harp and for this purpose the arms 11 are each' provided with an opening 4&7. at one end of which there are provided spaced lugs e8 and openings 419.

l/lfhen in use, the wheels 26 will accurately follow any curve in the trolley wire and will adjust themselves to either vertical or lateral ony'set portions or lrinlrs orn the trolley wire due to the free pivotal movement ci the cage or carrier 12 --and the lateral or' universal.

iovelnent ci' the connection between this cage or carrier and the harp 10. By providing two wheels as shown and described? when the leading wheel engages the oiifset or lrinlrj the following wheel will be riding in normal contact with the wire and as soon as the last mentioned wheel engages this offset or Vinit, the leawheel will have passed tl'iereover and wil resume its normal contact with the wire. Due to the `tree movement of l e cage or cfrrier in any direction7 positive Contact may be maintained with the wire without undue pressure, so that upon the wire is materially reduced and sparking and consequent burning ot the wire eliminated. the arrange ment and disposition. of the weight 14, proper equilibrium is maintained and as both of the wheels are in contact with the wire a large contact surface is obtained so as to provide a proper conductor for a flow of current suiiicient to supply power for a heavy train.

"lhe invention is susceptible of variousI changes in its form, proportions and minor details oi' construction and the right is herein reserved to malte such changes as properly tall within the scope ot the appended claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed is 1. ln a trolley wheel, a` universally movable carrier comprising a central hub portion, spaced parallel plates extending upwardly from the hub portion7 a weight eX- tending downwardly from the hub portion. and connecting the plates, and spaced wireengaging wheels rotatably mounted between the spaced plates.

2. ln a trolley wheel, a biturcated harp, a carrier positioned within the bifurcated portion ot the harp7 a wire-engaging wheel mounted upon the carrier and al ball and soc :tot connection between the carrier and the harp.

3. ln a trolley wheel7 the combination with a harp.7 of a carrier, a wire-engaging wheel mounted upon the carrier, a pin connect-ing the outer ends of the harp and a ball mounted upon the pin and a bearing provided in the carrier for receiving the ball.

4l. ln a trolley wheel, a universally mov able carrier comprising a central hub portion, a weight depending therefrom, spaced parallel plates extending upwardly trom the hub portion and weight, a wire-engaging wheel mounted between the plates, a bearing pin extending through the wheel and plates, and means carried by the plates whereby the bearing pins may be supplied with a lubricant.

5. ln a trolley wheeh a universally mov'- able carrier comprising` a central hub por-- tion, a vL/*eight depending` therefrom, spaced parallel plates extending upwardly from the hub portion and weight, spaced vvire-engagn ing Wheels located between the plates, hearing pins extending through the Wheels and 'plates7 nieans carried by one of the plates and engaging the bearing pins to prevent rotation of the latter and nieans disposed axially of and engaging one end of thepins to hold the latter against longitudinal movement.

6. ln a trolley wheel, a universally movable Carrier comprising a Central hub portion, a Weight depending therefrom, spaced parallel plates extending upwardly from the huh portion, and Weight, spaced Wire-engaging Wheels located between the plates7 hearing pins extending through the Wheels and plates and each of said pins havinp` one of their ends tapered and disposed 4Within a tapered opening in one of the plates and adjustable means engaging the bearing pins to iorcethe latter Within the tapered open- 2O inos.

zn testimony whereof l affix my signature.

v ADRAN C. VAN HUOYDONK. 

